1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to the field of supports utilized for stabilizing cameras during their use and, more particularly, to a camera support suitable to be worn by a photographer so that his or her hands are free for manipulating the camera or performing other tasks.
2. History of the Related Art
An important consideration in the use of all types of cameras including still photograph cameras, movie cameras, and VCR cameras, is maintaining the cameras in a steady position while pictures are being taken. Camera supports comprised of one or more legs are known. The known supports include types which are used on fixed surfaces, such as the well known tripods, and other devices for facilitating the use of a camera being carried by a photographer.
The latter known devices may provide some degree of stabilization for the camera by allowing the weight of the camera to be borne by the body of the photographer, and not by the hands and arms, thereby allowing the hands and arms to be free to adjust the camera when pictures are being taken.
An example of a body mounted camera support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 817,207 to Wheeler. The camera support incorporates a belt having a pad mounted thereto, and a pivotable coupling mounted to the pad. A shaft having a telescoping member extends from the coupling to a head portion which includes a spindle for engaging the base of a camera. A separate neck engaging strap extends from the head of the support assembly and about the neck of the photographer. As disclosed, however, it is necessary to maintain at least one hand engaging the camera, as the camera support assembly is free to pivot relative to the belt and neck of the photographer. Therefore, this type of support does not allow the photographer to disengage the camera and have free use of both hands while the camera remains steadied.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,200 to Welch discloses a similar camera mounting assembly as disclosed in Wheeler. The mounting assembly of Welch includes a pistol grip which forms a portion of the head assembly to which the camera is mounted. Welch also discloses the use of an upper body encircling belt which depends to a support cup in which the lower portion of a support rod is seated, and a separate neck strap. The Welch device is inadequate, as it is necessary to keep at least one hand on the pistol grip in order to steady the camera relative to the individual.
A similar camera mount is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,309 to Breslau. The disclosed camera mount does not include a neck strap, and so whenever the camera is not in use, it is pivoted to suspend from a main strap which extends around the neck of the photographer. It is also necessary to utilize at least one hand to steady the camera when elevated to a use position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,826 to Shapiro discloses a camera support assembly which includes a body encircling belt and a separate neck encircling strap. The base of the camera support rod is provided with a plurality of teeth which mesh with teeth provided in a clip mounted to the front of the belt. This device provides lateral stability for the base of the rod and prevents some movement of the camera support rod when the hands are released from the camera. When the camera is supported in a use position, however, side-to-side movement of the camera is possible and the camera can only be steadied by a photographer utilizing at least one hand to prevent such lateral movement. In addition, by supporting the camera from a single point of contact at the belt, there is increased stress at the point at which the belt is coupled to the base of the camera support rod. Such single point contact makes the device uncomfortable to wear, and may cause possible failure of the camera support device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,986 to Carter discloses a camera support device of the type disclosed in Wheeler. In the Carter device, steadying of the camera is accomplished by providing a pair of handles which extend from the base of a camera support rod. The handles are engageable along the sides of the photographer's torso to prevent the bottom portion of the rod from swaying when the camera is elevated to a use position. With this type of assembly, should the photographer make any twisting movement of the upper torso, the camera support assembly can pivot and shift the camera from its proper position.
In addition to the known devices for supporting cameras from an individual's body, storage or carrying cases for transporting cameras have been utilized as a support to stabilize cameras during their use. Examples of such camera carrying cases are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,290,307 to Wicker, 2,298,144 to McNabb and 5,064,062 to Miller. None of the carrying cases disclosed in the aforementioned references are portable when the camera is in use and therefore the camera carrying cases must remain stationary to provide a stable support. McNabb discloses that the camera case may be engageable with a portion of the photographer's torso; however, the camera carrying case and the camera must be supported by the individual's hands, as no other support feature is provided for stabilizing the camera relative to the individual's body.
Other camera support devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,348,034 to Welt and 4,826,187 to Abbott et al.
In view of the above-described disadvantages of the known devices, there has been a need for a camera support for photographic, VCR, movie and other types of cameras, which is carried by a photographer, such that the photographer has both hands free either for adjusting the camera equipment or other purposes, and which provides a stable base upon which to mount the camera.